


(Don't) lay me to sleep.

by youngjusticewriter



Series: Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream. [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: ANBU - Freeform, Aftermath of Torture, Gen, Haruno Sakura-centric, Smart Haruno Sakura, Soulmates, Torture, Unreliable Narrator, alternative universe canon divergence, and oh boy is there going there to be some plot and plot divergences, but look on the bright side I haven't planned any major character death yet, slow burn of plot, this fic will get darker later, turns out soulmates sharing dreams isn’t the best thing, which is something I can't say for some of my other fics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-22
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-01-23 17:23:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18554362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youngjusticewriter/pseuds/youngjusticewriter
Summary: Sakura doesn’t need defending though.Sakura smiled at the girl, because that’s what Ami is and what Sakura hasn’t been since her dreams started, with tired eyes (with eyes too old because that’s what happens when your soulmate is a jonin with a pretty painted mask).





	1. Preview.

"With a forehead like that your soulmate will never think you’re pretty!” 

Words can’t hurt you mom had told Sakura time and time again. (Mom had also said her dreams couldn’t hurt her and when Sakura first started getting them, and didn’t know any better, that they were a gift.) Sakura now understood that it isn’t about her - this was about them. Sakura can’t go attacking a clan kid. 

Ino’s grip was tight and her other hand’s knuckles were white from how hard her fist is curled; her nails must be bitting into her palm. 

Sakura doesn’t need defending though. Sakura smiled at the girl, because that’s what Ami is and what Sakura hasn’t been since her dreams started, with tired eyes (with eyes too old because that’s what happens when your soulmate is a jonin with a pretty painted mask). Being pretty isn’t a good thing, Sakura had come to learn when she dreamed of what had happened to the woman who usually wore the mask of turtle - she had been her soulmate’s teammate. 

Sakura walked away unlike Turtle from that mission; Sakura walked away with her friend unlike her soulmate. 

Ami was still standing unlike the merchant who had a hole in his chest before the corpse was buried. (Because he wasn’t suppose to be killed to begin with.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I dedicate this to god. (Because I'm a petty person who holds a grudge and keeps her promises.)


	2. Chapter One.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kettle screams when Akira can not. 
> 
> Or the Uchiha massacre has consequences.

It’s Umino at the door. He stands tall and stable as tree but there’s no confidence in his dark eyes. (There’s no happiness in his eyes either, Akira notes, but that doesn’t matter. Emotions can not effect the mission after all.) Perhaps in different circumstances Akira would have laughed at Umino of all people being an academy instructor. This is not different circumstances so there is no humor to be found in Akira. There’s only tiredness that weighs on her soul. 

(If she could do it all again would she? 

No, Akira finds herself realizing because in the end the Hidden Leaf is a kinder village for her daughter than the others despite the the cruel fate that had befallen on not only Sakura but other civilian children.) 

“Iruka,” Akira says, a smile on her painted lips. (She’s just got back from her mission - earlier than planned - and hasn’t wiped off the makeup; hasn’t showered in hot water and just stayed there even when the water has inevitably turned cold.) She’s being familiar but they knew each other in the orphanage and Umino has a soft heart instead of stern one that favors tradition. It’s that, not him being a child of civilians, that is why he’s never gone farther than chunin but that might be a good thing - him just staying as one and watching, guiding, the children. “Do you want to come in? I was about to boil some water for tea?” 

The lie slips easily from her mouth. It’s expected in not only being a hostess but also a kunoichi. Oh she may not officially be one but that doesn’t mean Akira doesn’t know what is expected from her. She, a daughter of merchants, knows exactly what is expected from her. It’s not confirming. It’s surviving (but surviving isn’t living). 

Umino bows his head as he speaks, “Yes, I would love to have a cup. I’m here to talk you about your daughter.” 

Again, Akira notes there’s no happiness in the eyes of the man. It doesn’t make the blow any softer though. Her smile stays because Akira has smiled during worse situations. (Because that’s what a man wants: a pretty women who smiles instead of speaking. A cool headed girl.) 

Akira moves out of the way so Umino may come into her house. It’s a little thing that’s as pretty as a doll house. (And maybe Akira is a doll with how much she smiles.) Umino walks ahead of her - in a place he doesn’t know and with his back towards her. He’s not being a fool. Oh he is but men often did this so it wasn’t just him who was a fool. It’s a good thing Akira doesn’t hold him accountable for what news he’s about to deliver to her. (Did they send him in hopes that another orphan will not pour salt in wound they are inflicting on her? This isn’t the first wound Akira has gained to protect the village but this is the greatest one. Or did Umino come here because he’s just that kind of a man? A kind one. He’s been like that even when he was just boy who pranked because some attention is better than nothing.) 

Umino takes a seat on one of the white painted chairs as Akira starts to fill the kettle up. He hasn’t spoken yet even when Akira turns off the water and goes to boil the kettle. It’s only after Akira joins him at the table that he speaks, “While you were gone from the village Uchiha Itachi slaughtered his clan.” 

Despite the rumors about Uchiha and the attack of the nine taile fox, Umino has something in his voice. Whatever the emotion is Akira wouldn’t simply label it as sadness. So it’s not just late night grading that is the reason for the bags under his eyes. 

“Have they found him?” The kettle is starting to whistle and the birds are chirping outside. The world doesn’t stop even when children are murdered in their own homes. And because of that neither can Akira. 

Umino shakes his head, “No.” 

“Why are you telling me this?” Akira asks because that’s what expected from her. She had not known about the massacre but before she had stepped foot in the village again Akira knew the repercussions. For not the first time in her life Akira is cursing Uchiha. This time around Akira is certain they deserve the damnation she wishes upon them. 

The kettle is screeching now in the background. Umino is trying to find words how to voice her daughter’s fate. “With the massacre of the Uchiha the Hidden Leaf has mandated that every civilian will have one of their children in rolled at the academy to make up for the loss of the Uchiha.”

It’s been on Akira’s mind since she’s learnt the news. What would be worst for her daughter: cannon fodder or to be like her? Oh she’s cannon fodder too if she ever fails her job but she doesn’t get to see battle. 

“Sakura is seven.” Comprehension fills Umino’s eyes but still Akira continues. Umino doesn’t deserve it but Akira wants to pour salt into the wound, to twist the kunai that’s in his stomach. (Because Umino is good man and that is why he’s only a teacher.) Akira wants to burn something because Sakura is the only one left and they’re condemning her. Akira has given years, her body, her soul to the Hidden Leaf and this is her repayment. “She’s not only civilian but also two years behind the students of her age.” 

The kettle screams when Akira can not. 

Umino looks as though he is carrying the weight of the sky itself. It doesn’t make it better though. It doesn’t protect her daughter. Her daughter already wakes up screaming from the nightmares, the memories, of her soulmate. That experience should have to be enough but fate doesn’t care. 

“I know,” Umino says. 

Ugly laughter is in her chest, threatening to boil out, but Akira does not voice it. She simply shakes her head, “No, no you don’t.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In one of my other fics I hinted at (it's from Naruto's pov and he's only seven) that Uchiha massacre effected the village in more ways than one. One of those ways were ninja having to take over as the police and dealing with a backlash of negativity/distrust that the Uchiha faced. (Supposedly, I read this on tumblr, that negativity was purposely why the Hokage gave them the position as the village's civilian law enforcement.) 
> 
> In this fic I wanted to take a shot at another way the Uchiha massacre could effect the village. Not all the civilian children would graduate btw. They (the government) hopes the kids that don't get weeded out will be enough to fill in the numbers for the loss of the Uchiha.


	3. Chapter Two.

He was here again. The boy. 

This time it isn’t a dank cave or a compound littered in corpses that was the background behind him. No, it was a simple hospital room with another boy, a new one, in the bed. Sakura noted in the back of her mind that there wasn’t in any sunshine nor were there any flowers for the sick boy in the room. Actually there wasn’t even a window in the room. Briefly, Sakura wondered what that said about her soulmate’s mind. She didn’t get to linger long on the question because one eyed boy spoke, “I gave you my eye so that we could see the future together and that you would protect Rin. You killed her,” the boy snarled at Sakura as though he was a monster. When she was younger Sakura thought he had been. One that would crawl from under her bed and kill her, leaving her stiff body to be found under the covers when mom got back from one of her trips. It had been a nightmare that plagued her until others inspired by her soulmate’s own nightmares took its place. 

The boy continued, his condemning spinning eye was worse to look at than the empty socket. “You didn’t see what Itachi was and now you’re turning a blind eye once again.” The boy smiled, it was all teeth as though he was a dog; a kicked dog in a corner. “If this is the future I’m glad I never got to see it - glad that you were worse than scum because you’ve learnt nothing.” He was laughing then and Sakura wanted him to stop. Not only was it horrible thing to listen to but this was her soulmate. He shouldn’t be like this to them. They had to have been just kids when the boy died. The boy looked about her age but girls grew up faster or so Sakura had heard adults say. So he might be a few years older than her but still they just had to been kids. 

The pretty boy in the bed didn’t stir at the horrible sound. Sakura didn’t know him in real life, nor had she seen him before in the dreams, but there was something about him that felt familiar. It was like she had seen -

Sakura’s eyes fluttered open. A groan escaping her as mom shook her shoulder to wake her up. Sakura squinted her eyes in disbelief, “Mom?” 

“You need to get up, Sakura.” Her mom ordered as she got up from leaning over Sakura. It took several seconds for Sakura to realize what was going on. Her green eyes widened when she did and she almost threw herself out of bed when she did. But first how did mom know? She had been out of town for business when the notifications had been delivered all over town. Obviously she got back sometime last night because whenever mom got back she always needed time to herself. Time often being hours. Sakura hoped she was right because otherwise the water was going to be cold and that was never fun. Supposedly cold water was better for ones hair but still Sakura didn’t like it. 

“Make sure to wear your cheongsam and dear keep your hair down.” Her mom’s dark eyes flickered down on Sakura. It always made Sakura uncomfortable to be looked at by mom with the smile on her mom’s face. “You always look better with it down.” 

Pink hair fell on her eyes as Sakura lowered her head and murmured that she understood. Once mom left the room Sakura got up from her bed and started to get ready. As she brushed her bright colored hair, an occasionally hiss escaping her lips when the brush found a knot, Sakura spoke the requirements of the academy: love the village and persevere the peace and prosperity by learning and eventually taking missions for Konan, have a mind that will not yield, and be healthy in mind and body. A part of Sakura didn’t want to be one but if she was a ninja than she could probably find her soulmate faster than she would as a civilian. Plus Sakura knew from what the adults had been saying lately that ninja looked down on them. Sakura didn’t want that to be her relationship with her soulmate when they found each other. That and not all missions that ninja took were like that of what the painted masks were fulfilled. Just this week a ninja with some kids had ask if she had seen a cat of all things. So it wouldn’t just be like the dreams that made Sakura scream sometimes. 

It wasn’t till she had slipped on her dress that Sakura realized something else. If she was a ninja than she could be earning money too and then mom wouldn’t have to go away so much and wouldn’t be like she was after a bad trip. 

“Sakura!” Mom called for her. Sakura nervously smoothed the skirt of the dress before she grabbed the notification and ran out of the room.

[\\]

The address the notification had printed on it was not that of the academy building. No, they, Sakura and the other older civilian kids, were going to have to have to go to preparatory classes before they could join the academy. The building was ragged looking thing at the edge of town. If building were capable of emotions Sakura would thought it would have been depressed. It was run down, at the edge of the village, and there weren’t any windows for it to see the outside. When mom said goodbye she had the smile on again. Sakura couldn’t help but wonder if the trip was really bad this time around. Once she got back home after school today Sakura would have to tell mom she didn’t have to buy her anymore dango if it meant it she could stay home and not going on anymore trips that could leave her like that. 

“Go on,” mom told her before turning her back to leave. Sakura did and didn’t look back. She was the last one in classroom and because of that she had to sit with the dark hair pale kid that everyone had tried not to be next with. Sakura couldn’t help but wonder what the boy had done in short amount of time to be treated like that. It didn’t matter though because soon their instructor entered the classroom. She was really pale too but didn’t have dark eyes like the boy next to Sakura. Sakura noted this as their teacher introduced herself but it was water off a duck’s back because Sakura noticed the boy looked familiar when she was comparing his eyes to their teacher’s. It wasn’t his face or the way he held himself but who he looked like. The boy looked like the kid in the bed from her dreams, though admittedly not as pretty, and he had to look like whoever the kid in the hospital had reminded her of. 

“We will begin with ninjutsu - one of the three main jutsu categories you learn more of should you proceed to the academy - to see what all of you are capable of.” 

It was that announcement that brought Sakura back to focus. Right. She was here to learn to one day protect the village she had been raised in amongst other reasons. Sakura lifted her chin and straightened her shoulders. She had to have a mind that could endure instead of cave into other things. Sakura could find out about the boy after preparatory school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How do you I think I did writing Sakura this chapter? She’s experienced some bad dreams but she hasn’t had the worst of them (because Kakashi really doesn’t like to sleep) which she will in the future chapters and that will effect her but at the same time she’s a seven year old girl. I don't want to automatically make her into who I plan for her to become. I want her to grow in the fic. 
> 
> There’s also a hint in the chapter about what’s going on for Kakashi when it comes to his dreams from Sakura. Kudos to person who guesses it.


	4. Chapter Three.

After the leaf concentration test - Sakura was one of the first to pick it up - the teacher informed them they would be working on taijutsu. Taijutsu was empty handed fighting and the second jutsu categories they were learning at preparatory school. They wouldn’t be studying it though at this classroom, no, this room was too full of furniture for them to do that so their teacher lead them out of the room. Sakura and her classmates were in a line as they followed their teacher down the hall. The kid in front of her, the one who Sakura had sat next to earlier when they had been learning about ninjutsu, didn’t say a word unlike some of the kids ahead of them and he walked differently than the rest of them - even Sakura and she use to have dad put books on her head so she could be as balanced and poised as a daughter of a daimyo was. 

Sakura’s narrowed her green eyes at the back of the head of the boy in front of her, her loose pink hair falling past her shoulder as she cocked her head in curiosity. He was pale. Like unnaturally so and not even the dead people from the night before that had looked that pale and they were dead. Maybe he was spending too much time visiting his family at that hospital? Sakura referred to the place in her dreams as that hospital because Sakura had been to hospital before both for herself and for mom and there had been windows there. There hadn’t been any at that hospital her soulmate dreamed of. Was her soulmate a family member too? 

Sakura was brought out of her thoughts as it was soon her turn to go into the new classroom they would be practicing in. The floor of the room was laid with mats that smelled of cleaning spry and the color of this classroom was a worn looking white.  
Sakura couldn’t help but wondered as she took in the sight of the color for a second time today that if that ugly shade of white the cheapest color of paint that was being sold. Sakura preferred the green shade that was darker than her eyes that her room had been painted in. 

Their teacher cleared her throat and the two boys who had been murmuring to one and another shut up. If anybody wasn’t paying attention like Sakura had been was now - their attention and silence had been caught and stayed trapped there with the sharp lavender scrutiny of their teacher’s eyes. She, the teacher who Sakura hadn’t been paying attention to when she had introduced herself, began to rattle on how two of each of the kids would would be paired against one and another. Sakura’s eyebrows drew together because how were to spar with taijutsu when they hadn’t been shown any. Wasn’t that the whole purpose of the preparatory academy? Since no else was going to do it Sakura lifted her hand in the air. The boy finally looked at Sakura despite her being seated next to him in class pretty much this whole time but the teacher didn’t. Sakura raised her hand higher and still was ignored. Frustration lit in her stomach because this was what you were suppose to do if you had a question and questions were important. Sakura refused to be cowed and proceeded to stand on her tip toes. ‘Take that teacher’, a part of Sakura thought, ‘I’m even taller now.’ 

Finally, lavender eyes settled on Sakura. “Yes?” 

At first Sakura thought it was pause but the teacher didn’t speak again to ask for Sakura’s name. Weird. Usually that was what teachers did when you annoyed them. Maybe she was new to the job? “Haruno. I’m Haruno, Sakura and I was wondering shouldn’t you be showing us some stances or attacks before we spar?” 

The teacher (this is why you should pay attention to when people introduce themselves, a part of Sakura that sounded awfully like mom nagged, because then they’re just the woman to you) answered only with one word, “No.” 

Before Sakura could open her mouth and ask what the teacher jerked her head to the side. Pale fingers grabbed onto her wrist and proceed to drag Sakura to a part of a mat that wasn’t already occupied. “Hey-“ Sakura began to protest only to stop short. This was a chance - she could talk to the boy. The boy who easily settled to a stance even though they hadn’t been taught any yet. Maybe he wasn’t a complete civilian? He could the son of a clan and a civilian lover. There was a word for it but Sakura couldn’t remember it. Maybe he wasn’t acknowledged and that was why he wasn’t already in the academy. Sakura clumsily mirrored his stance: feet wide but not too wide to be uncomfortable and open palms in front of her body. The boy smiled at the sight and it was... Well it wasn’t exactly ugly with his face even though the boy in the hospital was more pretty but it wasn’t - it didn’t feel right 

“So you are smart enough to learn but are stupid enough to question your superior, ugly.” 

Sakura’s fingers curled into the her palm and her fist flew before she even knew what she was doing. Even before she could yell at the boy because she wasn’t ugly (her mom wasn’t ugly) and didn’t his parents teach him any manners? 

One pale hand shot out to her right wrist and the boy jerked her forward or maybe Sakura put too much into the punch. Next the boy grabbed onto her right shoulder for control and brought his knee to where her mom had taught her no one should touch her there and if they tried scream and let her know. Sakura didn’t scream but she grunted like a boy because of the pain that exploded from her crotch. The boy then simply let go of her wrist and shoulder leaving Sakura to fall to the floor. When she looked up at him there was no regret in his wide dark eyes. Sakura’s short nails dug into the mat and she breathed in deeply and tried not cry at the pain. Something unforgiving as the boy’s eyes inside of Sakura reminded her that she had wanted to be a ninja so her soulmate wouldn’t look down at her. This was what she wanted. ‘Are you going to give up now?’ 

But Sakura couldn’t give up even if she wanted to and she didn’t. With gritted teeth Sakura got back up. The boy didn’t blink in surprise at the sight. There wasn’t any expression really on his face now that Sakura was paying attention. 

“Did you too not like your nickname?” He inquired as Sakura fell back into the stance she had taken from him. 

“Nickname?” Sakura asked, anger lacing her tone like poison. 

“Yes, I’ve read that to open up to people and become their friends you should give them a nickname. Though perhaps the book was out of date or the author made poor reconnaissance since no one in class has shown to like the nicknames.” 

He was kidding. He had to be. He totally called her ugly so he could win easily against her yet he didn’t look fake unlike his smile from early. Sakura felt the beginning of a headache even though she had never had one before. (Sakura had a gut feeling she would feel like that a lot when dealing with him. Hopefully his family wasn’t as bad.) 

The boy’s palms turning into fists were the only hint Sakura was given before he ducked and slammed his sharp elbow - he should eat more or start eating dango- into her ribs. A cry of pain slipped past Sakura’s mouth as she doubled over. Her large head didn’t heat the boy though because he had dropped to the floor as though it was a futon to lay comfortably on. It was her loose hair that, along with pain from the jab, that kept Sakura from focusing on the boy and that was a mistake because the jerk kicked her while she was down. A sound came from her that reminded Sakura of a kicked dog and maybe she was one. This boy was a liar, she thought as he quickly got up. His movements were that of a scuttling spider and Sakura was the fly that had been lured into his web, not with kind words, but with what she had thought was an earnest desire for friendship. 

Thinking about it Sakura preferred the kicked dog comparison because least dogs had teeth and claws. The only thing a fly had was wings and the web bound the fly from flight - from escaping the lying fly. 

Nails dug into the mat again. They turned white from hard Sakura dug them into the stupid mat. 

Sakura started getting back up with a heaving chest and wet eyes. 

The boy smiled down at her again but this time it curled at his white teeth. 

And Sakura? (The part of herself wasn’t just a part. It was overwhelming and it mixed with her anger; it’s temper burned bright from the tears as though the tears were a fan bringing the fire to greater temperature, bringing it to new heights.) 

Sakura wanted to shove her bright fist in his chest. 

“What’s your nickname for me?” When Sakura didn’t speak the boy continued uncaring, “I read that friends share things between themselves as a sign of caring.” 

There it was again. The feeling that he wasn’t pulling her hair to negatively get her attention but Sakura couldn’t be sure. They were training to be shinobi not samurai after all. Sakura wouldn’t even be here if the class was about samurai because unlike shinobi there were no female samurai. 

Sakura smiled despite how the pain her body felt. It was fake. It was Sakura’s the smile. But before Sakura could give him a nickname their teacher shouted that preparatory academy was over. For a second Sakura thought she saw something on the boy’s face at the news but if it was indeed there it was gone before Sakura could be sure she hadn’t imagined it. ‘The boy, the woman, ugh.’ 

“What’s your name?” Sakura finally asked. Thankfully mom wasn’t here or otherwise Sakura would have gotten a ear full for just now asking for the boy’s name. 

“Sai,” was all the boy offered with his the smile on his face. No last name just his first. Maybe Sai was serious about being her friend though his friend making skills were horrible. 

“Sakura.” Sakura said in return. 

“I know. You told it when you questioned our teacher on her capability of being one.” He was still smiling and something in Sakura twitched. That hadn’t been what Sakura had been doing she just wanted to- okay, so it sort of was what she had done. It’s just their teacher gave off new to job vibe since she didn’t know about the raise your hand if you have a question rule. 

Despite the frustration the boy kept whiplashing her with Sakura made him a promise, “I’ll think on your nickname and give it to you tomorrow. Have a good day, Sai!” 

Then Sakura went and joined the line of kids leaving the taijutsu classroom. When she got outside the building her mom wasn’t waiting for her. It wasn’t even her dad there. There was a brunette man holding a cup of ramen of all things that waved at her. He had a scar on his noise too, Sakura noted. Slowly, Sakura walked towards him giving the appearance she was tired from class when really she was ready to dart away and run home if she needed. The man offered her a smile before greeting her with a hello. It didn’t seem like a the smile. “My name is Umino. I grew up with your mom though I don’t know if she ever mentioned me.”

“You were the boy who was a prankster. The one with the otter summons.” 

Umino ducked his head, his smile turned bashful as he shifted the to go cup of ramen to his left hand so he could scratch his hair. “Yes, that’s me.” There was a bit of laughter in his voice like he wasn’t that regretful of his actions. “Your mom-“ he paused like adults do when they want to say something but didn’t know how. “She’s with your dad and she asked me of the favor of watching you while they talked.” 

Mom didn’t want her to be there if it turned out to become a fight again between her and dad. Sakura smiled and asked where they were going.

“I hope you don’t mind but since this is last minute I’ll still be visiting a student of mine. Naruto landed himself in the hospital. The ramen and the flowers and ramen is what we’ll be sneaking in for him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: otters (kawauso) like foxes are seen in Japan as tricksters. Like foxes (kitsune) they are known for transforming to beautiful woman to trick humans though they’ll sometimes turn into children. 
> 
> This chapter was brought early to you by a stressful day. Writing happens to be a better way calm myself down after I’ve had a bad day.


	5. Chapter Four.

Besides Umino and her, the flower shop was filled with girls around Sakura’s age who chattering about a boy. The loudest was a purple haired girl who had a few other girls trailing after her. Ami, Sakura would later come to learn her name was, seemed a bit obnoxious with how she went about shooting down her friend’s ideas for flowers to give to Sasuke. 

“I’ll go get in line. Could you hold this?” He lowered the to go cup of ramen to Sakura that had a lid on it not only do it wouldn’t spill but to keep it warm. Silently, Sakura took it and simply stood in the middle of Yamanaka Flowers observing those around her. Sakura’s green eyes looked around the shop and eventually fell a pair of friends. There was actually a boy in here - a brown headed one whose hair was up and was eating potato chips even though he was in store. Next to him was a girl who had short blonde hair that was just below her chin and she was badgering the boy about him allowing Shikamaru to leave them with all the work. The girl went on to curse cloud gazing of all things before she stiffened. The blonde girl whipped around and her pupil less eyes fell on Sakura who, again, was just standing there with a cup of ramen in middle of the store. There also was the fact Sakura had been staring at the pretty girl which was rude. It was rude to stare at a person pretty or not, Sakura knew; her mom - who was pretty no matter what that kid from class thought - always hated it when people did that to her. 

The bossy girl proceed to gently give the flowers she was holding to the boy next to her who had the red spiral on his cheeks before she marched straight to Sakura like she had mission. 

“So Ami learnt her lesson then? Good.” The pretty girl gave a sweet smile at Sakura that left Sakura a bit weary but she didn’t step back (yet). “My name is Yamanaka, Ino. It’s nice to meet you since you’re obviously not one of Ami’s tagalongs. How may I help you?” 

Oh, so the girl was indeed on a mission. Her family owned the shop. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be that upset that Sakura was holding a cup of food in the store even though Sakura wasn’t her friend. Sakura shook her head, her long pink hair moving with the gesture. “I-I’m Haruno, Sakura. I’m here with an adult.” Because that was what he was. He wasn’t Sakura’s friend nor was he really mom’s either despite them having grown up together. “His name is Umino.” 

Ino seemed surprised and, at Sakura’s confused look, went to tell her that he was her teacher at the academy. So that meant he was going to be Sakura’s teacher too soon. Hopefully he wasn’t a new one like her teacher today who didn’t know about the raise your hand rule if you have a question or that you’re suppose to show kids things before you test them. 

“So tell me why is he ordering flowers from my uncle? Does he have a girlfriend?” Ino gave a pause from her interrogation to give Sakura a chance to answer. The girl’s face was bright from eager interest and the brightness didn’t disappear when Sakura didn’t immediately say yes. “A boyfriend?”

“No,” Sakura blurted out before she went to further explain herself. “No to both actually. He’s here to pick up flowers for a student.”

“Oh?” The girl cocked her head yet Sakura had the feeling she wasn’t confused. “What’s their name?” 

“The boy’s name is Naruto of all things,” Sakura confessed not seeing harm of admitting that because of a realization that had came upon her. One of his parents, Sakura decided then, must have really loved ramen. Like really loved it to name their son that. Sakura loved dango but she wouldn’t name her child after it. 

Ino gave Sakura a the smile in award and it made Sakura feel like she shouldn’t have told the girl that. “Are you going with him?” Ino inquired as her friend continued to ignore them in favor his chips. “If you are be careful.”

Sakura’s pink eyebrows drew together at the warning. “Why?” Sakura asked though she was going to use what Ino was going to tell her with a grain of salt. She had used the smile and just a second Sakura had the feeling she had just told the girl something she wasn’t suppose to even though it was just a fellow student’s name who was sick. Surely Ino already knew the Naruto boy was sick since he wasn’t in class? 

“He’s a prankster,” Ino told but for a second there was something else on her face. She had looked kinda scared, Sakura thought but she didn’t get to dwell on it because Umino was heading their way. Ino noticed him coming too and gave Sakura a smile before she spoke one last time to her. “Goodbye!” Ino leaned really forward so she could whisper into Sakura’s ear. “If you ever need any pretty or poisonous flowers you know where you can find me.” Then the girl was off, running back to her friend who finally finished munching on his bad of food. 

“I see you’ve met Yamanaka, Ino,” were Umino’s greeting words. “I hope she didn’t scare you.” There was a small pause as they made their way out of the store before Umino added, “Or you her.” 

Sakura raised a single pink eyebrow at that as though she hadn’t lost her temper and tried to hit Sai earlier because he had called Sakura (and therefore mom) ugly. Key word in that sentence being tried. After they had passed an old man screaming about his cabbages Umino asked her how she felt about preparatory school. Sakura wrinkled her nose despite knowing that becoming a ninja meant her soulmate would like her more since ninja often looked down on civilians or that’s what Sakura had heard some adults say. 

“I’m happy to learning to one day persevere the peace and prosperity of our village but you can tell our teacher is new.” 

“Oh?” And now it was Umino’s turn to raise an eyebrow as they walked closer to the hospital. 

“She didn’t know about the rule where kids raise their hand when they have a question. That and she didn’t show us any stances for taijutsu before she had us pair up and fight each other.” 

For a second it looked like Umino was going to stumble but he caught himself since he was a ninja. Which is good because the daisies were pretty and no one really wanted crushed flowers. 

“Sakura what was your teacher’s name?” Umino acquired as the hospital finally came into sight. 

“I don’t know. She introduced herself but I wasn’t paying attention,” Sakura confessed, shame coloring her tone. 

Umino gave her a smile anyway despite not knowing what he wanted. “That’s okay. I can always ask about her but Sakura you have to learn to pay attention. It’s vital when you’re ninja especially when you don’t come from a clan. Also you might want to pull up your hair or cut it like Ino had it. Long hair at your age can be dangerous.” 

Sakura shook her head. “I can’t do that. My mom says I should wear it down because I look prettier with it down.” 

Again Sakura had the feeling she had surprised Umino but he didn’t almost trip again. It took a minute for Umino carefully choose his words to speak. “Sometimes your mom is wrong even if she’s coming from a good place and being pretty isn’t always a good thing in our career. Your mother should know that.” There was something there, a story, behind Umino’s words but Sakura got the feeling he wouldn’t tell her it if she asked for it. “Sakura could you check that the lid to the ramen is completely on?” 

Despite being confused at the question Sakura did as she was told. It was and she referred that to Umino. He bent down to the ground and offer the arm that didn’t have a hand holding the flowers. The confusion grew but Sakura still stepped into his one handed hug. “I need you to hold on tight and not let go of me and the ramen.” 

“Why?” Sakura asked as he stood up, holding Sakura with just a single arm. 

“Because the lady at the front desk won’t allow any food or flowers to be given to Naruto. Trust me I tried when I first visited so we’re going to be unconventional.” Before Sakura could ask how Umino explained just that. “We are going to breaking into the hospital instead of out it.” 

“...Why would anyone break out of the hospital?” 

“Because med-nin have no tolerance for ninja trying to squirm out of staying the days they need to stay in the hospital at so ninja escape when they’re not looking only for most of them to get dragged back. Which to be fair I have no tolerance for ninja trying to get out of leaving mission reports - Shikaku and Kakashi being the main two ninja who try - but this isn’t about ninja trying to escape the rest they need. This is about how I’m not allowed to bring anything to Naruto.” 

First Ino and now someone at the hospital was acting weird about Naruto. It couldn’t just because he was a prankster since Ino had looked for just a second afraid of the boy but Umino didn’t seem like someone who would be okay with a boy being cruel either. “You‘re holding tight?” 

“Yes,” Sakura answered and then the ground was below them as Umino walked - walked, actually walked - the building of the hospital. For a second Sakura felt the urge to stick her tongue out at the people down below but she didn’t because that would be rude. It was over quickly sadly. Apparently Naruto was only one the second floor. 

Bright blue eyes greeted them at the window Umino stopped at and small fingers opened the window for them. The smile on Naruto’s face was a wide thing and his face was bright from happiness which was something the bags under his eyes were not. Bright that is. “Iruka!” The boy harshly whispered as though he wanted to yell instead of using an inside voice but knew they would be busted if he did. 

“Naruto, I need you to move out from the window so Sakura and I can come in. The longer I’m standing out here will make us caught sooner rather than later.” 

The blonde haired, whiskered boy’s eyes widened at that. “Oh. Sorry, Iruka!” The boy harshly whispered again (Did he just not know about inside voices?) before almost tripping from how enthusiastic he was on on backing up. Umino climbed into the hospital room before he sat Sakura down. Wordlessly, Sakura handed the boy his cup of ramen and somehow Naruto’s smile widened even further. “Thank you Iruka and...Sakura.” Oh so the kid did know an inside voice but Sakura didn’t like how he used it when he was speaking to just her. 

“Sakura could you put the daisies on the nightstand for me?” Umino asked and once he handed the flowers to her he pulled out some chopsticks from his jonin vest. Huh. That wasn’t probably weren’t those pockets were intended to be used for but cool. Sakura turned away from Umino and Naruto to go do what the man had asked. The sight on the nightstand that greeted her made Sakura drop the flowers. Below the sketch of a big dark cage there was a mask Sakura recognized even though Naruto wasn’t the best at drawing. Why could she easily place that specific mask? Because she had seen them before in her soulmate’s dreams. Weasel was what Turtle had called the younger teammate.

Sakura ignored the flowers below her she could have bruised, instead she picked up that page out of the pages Naruto had drawn on. (Why would he be given paper and pencils when Umino had said they wouldn’t even allow the boy flowers?) You weren’t really suppose to talk about your dreams when you got them, Sakura knew. Because a lot of people didn’t have soulmates and also because the dreams could be really personally sometimes but Sakura thought of the dark bags under Naruto’s eyes and the dream of a compound littered in corpses. Sakura turned around and started walking towards Umino and Naruto before she really thinks about it. (Something in Sakura persisted in wondering why was Naruto given something to draw with when he wasn’t allowed simple flowers?) 

When Umino notices her (he’s the first to) it takes only a second for his eyes to land on the paper and his brown eyes narrow at it. ‘He sees it too’, a part of Sakura thought and it grinned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If I named the chapters this one would be something about Pandora’s box. 
> 
> Long as you’re okay with short chapters you get quicker updates. (I haven’t updated a fic with this many chapters in in such a short period of time in years and honestly it’s kinda feels nice even though the chapters are admittedly short.) I actually meant to write this chapter last week but it didn’t happen because family drama is the bad penny I can never lose unfortunately. 
> 
> Okay, I have two quick questions:
> 
> Why give Naruto his mother’s maiden name to conceal he was the fourth Hokage’s son when he looks just like his famous dad. I’m assuming hair dye is thing since colored contacts (Kakashi uses those for his Sukea disguise) are a thing. 
> 
> Second question why give Naruto his mother’s maiden name when it’s the name of a(n almost) wiped out clan that was very famous? Karin from what I’ve gathered was kept a secret by her village because how she could heal people if they took a bite from her. So as far as most people know Naruto is the only Uzumaki left. 
> 
> Did they just want Naruto to be kidnapped (and I don’t just mean by the Akatsuki) or am I missing something since I haven’t watched all the show/haven’t read the manga at all?


	6. Chapter Five.

‘He sees it too’, a part of Sakura thought and it grinned. (It always was a nice feeling to have noticed something before a grown up did.) Umino’s eyebrows drew together as he stared with narrowed eyes at the colored pages in Sakura’s small hands. There were gears turning in his dark eyes as he reached a hand out to silently demand them from Sakura. Wordlessly, Sakura gave them up as Naruto let out a loud slurp. The boy was too busy filling his mouth with as much ramen as quickly as humanly possible - and maybe even more some, Sakura amended as she stared at the boy in a mildly horrified interest that made it impossible to look away despite the sight having made her face twist in disgust - to have noticed the change of...what was it called? The air; it was change of not air but there was word that was related to it, to air, that was used when describing a change of the mood in a room. 

Sakura couldn’t remember the word no matter how much she thought on it. It was like it was on the very tip of her tongue, her memory, but still much to her frustration she couldn’t put a name to it. Sakura’s face twisted further into a grimace at how annoying it was because it was because she knew the word but she couldn’t recall that a lettered word no matter how hard she tried. 

“Naruto.” It was only till Umino spoke his name that the boy stopped eating. There must have been something familiar in his teacher’s tone because Naruto stopped scarfing down noodles immediately, his bright blue eyes were serious as he looked up at Umino’s own and waited for the man to continue. “Monday night did you have anyone unusual visit you? ....Did you see anyone unusual? Someone a few years older than you but they would look like Sasuke?” 

Naruto’s whiskered face darkened at the questions he was asked. Sasuke. That was the name Sakura had heard earlier today. It was the boy all those girls had been talking about and flower shopping for.

...So what? A relative of this Sasuke somehow had something to do with Naruto having dreams like hers? Dreams about the bodies, the family, that littered a compound along with dreams about missions their soulmates went on considering that Crow’s mask had been drawn by Naruto. So their soulmates knew each other then. Maybe Naruto could Sakura about who was the other member of the masked team! 

“I didn’t see anyone before I went to bed,” Naruto admitted with a small voice, his fingers were tightening so hard around the to-go cup of ramen that his knuckles were turning white. “But when I went to bed I kept having a nightmare. It was the same nightmare over and over again. There was a boy that looked like Sasuke - an Uchiha - in it. H-He cut them even though they were kneeling and they never got back up no matter how many times he cut them.” 

“And you don’t remember seeing this boy until you went to sleep?” Umino pressed like he didn’t believe Naruto though his tone was gentle. 

“How many times to do I have to say I didn’t!?” The boy snapped. “I-I’m not lying just like I’m not lying when I say I’m going to become the next Hokage. Why can’t anyone believe me?” The last sentence was spoken in a softer tone then the previous ones. 

“It’s not that you’re not believed it’s just the individual who attacked the village is capable of messing with ones mind, Naruto. Even if-“

“We got attacked?” Naruto asked, his confused expression cleared up the frustration that had been lingering on his face. Oh right, Sakura thought. The boy had been in the hospital for days after all and he had been enrolled in the academy before that. It wasn’t like they would deliver a notification of enrollment to him. 

“There was a clan of Konoha that was attacked. It’s why kids like me are being recruited to the academy,” Sakura informed Naruto. “The village’s ranks that were lost during the attack must be refilled so in case we’re ever attacked again we won’t be low on shinobi.” 

Naruto’s whiskered checks changed into a shade of pink. “You’re going to the academy?” 

“Yes,” was Sakura’s short answer, her tone making it obvious she wasn’t interested in Naruto’s own interest in her. She had a soulmate after all. Soulmates were rare and unlike her parents Sakura wasn’t going to waste her relationship with hers. She not only had one but they were alive but they lived in her village! ...And they obviously needed a hug because their dreams hadn’t become better. Sakura’s mom gave her a hug after a nightmare and that helped her sometimes on not having them again. So when Sakura found her soulmate she would have to give them lots of hugs to get them to feel better. Maybe some dango if Sakura meet them when she was old enough to earn money from a mission so mom didn’t need to go on more for her sake. (She hadn’t forgotten about telling mom she didn’t have to buy anymore sweets to save money despite the day Sakura had had.) 

The blush was still staining the loud kid’s cheeks. 

“Do you know who your soulmate is?” Sakura asked, not only just to remind him he had one. Umino’s head jerked at the question but Sakura didn’t care if she was being rude. “Ours know each other or least they know somebody in common.” 

Sakura’s finger, the one next to thumb, not the longest one because it was apparently rude to point with it even though using it gave the shortest distance to whatever you pointed at, pointed at the mask that had been drawn on the papers Umino was still holding. His grip, Sakura noticed, was making his knuckles become the color of a ghost. Which was odd because when men’s fists tighten they looked like tomatoes or least their faces did and they didn’t keep their fists to themselves. Sometimes though, Sakura remembered from previous dreams, men would look like ghosts as they stammered out words but then her soulmate would make their faces red anyway.

An expression dawned on Umino’s face, like a realization just fell on him. It was like watching someone turn off a lightbulb and Sakura had a feeling she wasn’t going to like what he was opening his mouth for. 

“Sakura, I think your parents should be done by now.” He was smiling now. It was Umino’s the smile; the one people wore when they were lying through their teeth because they couldn’t tell you the truth. It wasn’t just a smile adults put on their faces to try and comfort kids. Adults would give the smile to other adults too - her both her parents did - which meant that even when Sakura was deemed old enough people would still lie to her. 

I don’t want to be like that, Sakura decided then in hospital room that smelt of ramen and where crushed daisies were a few feet away from her and colored papers that shouldn’t be here were the first clue Sakura had to finding her soulmate. She would be loud and not only say what she meant even if mom thought it rude and her words were ugly but do what she felt. Sakura didn’t want to give the smile, she didn’t want to give sweet lies. Sakura had watch those things - the smile that came before sweet lies - ruin her parents marriage even though they were soulmates! Sakura didn’t want to ruin her relationship or any relationship. Lies ruined relationships even if they weren’t a romantic relationship and relationships that weren’t romantic were important too! 

“Naruto hasn’t answered my question,” Sakura managed to spill the words out before courage left her aching body (She needed to think of a nickname for Sai! She had almost forgotten that.), before Umino scoped her up and took her from the chance Sakura had to find out her soulmates identity. 

Brown eyes looked down on her own and there was no anger in them. “Naruto doesn’t need to answer it because it was rude to ask that question, Sakura.” 

“But Iruka she knows,” Naruto paused in his yelling to draw his blonde eyebrows together whether from confusion or frustration Sakura didn’t know. “-or her soulmate knows who-“ 

Umino didn’t allow the boy to finish on the words he paused to think on how to say it right. “Naruto, I shouldn’t have allowed her to stay here after finding your drawings. I was just so-“ Umino paused, his lips became as thin and the breath that was coming out of his scared nose was heavy. “This situation is very dangerous.” There was a heavy pause before Umino then said, “Don’t you two want to became ninja?” 

“And I’m going to become Hokage!” Naruto told them and by the lack of reaction from Umino the adult was used to such loud claims. “Then everyone will respect me and believe I’m not lying to them.” 

Umino’s dark eyes were sad then. “Naruto to be a Hokage, to be a ninja, one must be a liar. You can’t tell your enemies the truth - though you should encourage them to speak as long as possible if you’re captured - and sometimes you cannot even tell the people you care about the truth.” 

The words were heavy but Sakura managed to voice them despite the weight on them. “But what happens when those lies ruin your relationships?” Her voice was a small thing when she asked the question, not only for herself, but with her parents’ marriage on her mind. The smile hadn’t just ruined their marriage. It had ruined their friendship too. Sometimes soulmates were not always romantic, Sakura knew, or even meant to be romantic. But for her parents to ruin not only their marriage with one and other but their friendship...

“To be a ninja means your village, your mission, has to come first even before your soulmate, your family, and your friends. It’s not easy life and it becomes harder the more you advance.” Umino’s eyes, his sad, dark eyes, were on Naruto as he spoke that last sentence. 

“Thank you,” Sakura said even though she didn’t like what she had heard. 

By the surprise that lightened Umino’s moody face he had not been expecting that response. 

“For telling the truth instead of telling us a nice lie,” Sakura said, explaining why she had thanked him. Most adults would haven’t done that. They would give them their the smile and talk about the Will of Fire, about the honor that was giving loyalty to their village. No one has yet spoken about the cost, the sacrifice, about the life Sakura had been given. 

“I need to go take Sakura back to her home, Naruto. I’ll come back tomorrow since there are somethings I need to check into. I can’t believe I have to actually say this but finish your ramen,” Umino ordered and that Naruto did but he wasn’t as enthusiastic about eating it as he had been earlier. It, the aroma of ramen, smelled good even though it wasn’t Sakura’s favorite meal or even her top than favorite meals. It was because Sakura had slept in and didn’t have time for breakfast that it smelt so good. It was well into the afternoon, almost about to pass it probably. That, and there being no lunch break during preparatory school, was why hunger was bubbling up in Sakura’s stomach like it was water that had been boiling for some time. 

She was going to the academy so she’ll be seeing Naruto a lot in the future. He and the connection his soulmate had to hers wasn’t going anywhere. It’s that fact and the hunger in her stomach that keeps Sakura from once again pressing about Naruto having not answered her question. 

[\\] 

The walk down the side of the hospital was more fun this fine around. It was a better view looking down at the slowed bustling of villagers then just the building of the hospital Sakura had seen when Umino had first carried her up there. There, Sakura came to find out, was no trashcan for the empty ramen cup outside the hospital so Sakura just had to keep holding it and the crushed daisies Umino had made sure to take back with them. 

Neither of them talked as they walked through the market to get to her house. Besides asking her if she was holding on tight before they went out the window, Umino hadn’t spoken to her since the promise he had made Naruto and her make. The villagers - there were more out since in the evening the heat had waned - made up for it though. 

“That’s too expensive,” was an old man response to a woman who sold pastries that made Sakura’s stomach grumble. There were lots of pastries the woman had laid out for costumers and the sight a painful one. Oh, they looked delicious and beautiful but it was horrible sight since Sakura couldn’t have any. 

“My daughter told me two clan children hadn’t been to the academy since -“ the woman who was gossiping with a family member paused to coo as her baby reached out for her as though she was a teddy bear the child wanted to cuddle with.

“This is so beautiful.” A girl older then Sakura by several years told her friend. The other girl nodded in agreement before turning her eyes away from the bracelet to look at another piece of jewelry. 

“Look at this though!” She, the other girl, ended up raising a pair of earrings to show to the first girl. Apparently, the other girl didn’t have enough money from her c rank mission to buy them since her teammate had been too forceful in catching a thief and had ruined the book the kid had stolen when they had finally caught him. 

The first girl laughed at her friend’s trouble though, “Least you’re out when your team is filling in for the police. My team and I are stuck inside all day doing paperwork when we’re assigned to fill in for the police. If I ever hear my teacher yelling about the strength of youth prevailing against the wake of tragedy and paperwork I’m going to-“ Sakura didn’t get to hear her threat. The girl was spoken over or rather yelled over. 

“I need six eggs!” A woman ordered a few booths away from the chunin girls and Sakura winced at how loud she had yelled. 

“Watch where you’re going,” snapped a man to someone who had apparently bumped into him. 

The person, Sakura noticed when he hummed in response, his uncovered eye stayed on the pages of the orange book he carried despite there being someone who was talking to him, had long hair, but, despite it not being tied up, that stayed up somehow. It probably one of those bloodlines ninja clans had. Sakura honestly couldn’t see how that, the hair standing up like that, protected the man. “What can I say, the road of life of winding path.” 

“More like your nose is stuck in a book,” this time when the man spoke it was grumble instead of his voice being loud in anger. 

Despite his tone be softer the masked man with defying gravity hair still heard him. “Well of course I am. I’m at my favorite part where Shion meets her soulmate but she won’t discover that it’s him until-“ Despite telling the man about having reached his favorite part, the younger man’s tone was not a nice one. Maybe it was because he hadn’t been sleeping well, Sakura thought as she, with a turned head because they had past the two men, observed the bag under his one uncovered eye. 

“Don’t tell me about porn!” The man screamed, interrupting the other man and causing several heads to turn. The man’s face drained its red shade to that of white one as some realization befall upon on him. 

A woman tutted somewhere in the crowd while another had raised her hands over her daughter’s ears. That, and Umino’s pace increasing, made Sakura have the feeling someone needed to put money in the bad word jar. She didn’t ask her suspicion though because the scene had only made Umino’s broody face even worse and mom shouldn’t have to fork over any money for Sakura’s curiosity. 

After they past the market there was no more yelling of any sorts and the silence beared down in them until Sakura voiced a question that had been on her mind. (She didn’t voice her fear though that her soulmate would think her a silly girl because she didn’t want to lie, because she didn’t want to put her village and mission above the people she cared for just because it had ruined her parents marriage.) “Earlier when you spoke about ninja having to lie...are there other careers ninjas can go in? Ones where they don’t have to lie?” 

It was a while before Umino spoke, “There are several career fields chunin can go into. You could work at a desk to handle reports, sort through mission offers that come in and label them according to the danger, and if you become very good at numbers you could take on a job where you determine how much mission payment goes to the village, the jonin and the team they teach, or how much a group of jonin gets paid each. You could become a teacher, a librarian-“ 

“What’s a librarian?” Sakura asked as they turned around a familiar corner. 

“A librarian,” Umino began to explain as the sight of home came into view, “is a person who takes care of scrolls and books along with helping ninja find the information they’re looking for.” 

Sakura thanked him for explaining what the job meant and neither of them spoke as they walked onto her yard. Sakura’s fear felt like maggots burrowing into her stomach but Sakura was not dead unlike the bodies those bugs were found in. 

Would her soulmate not like her if she didn’t want to become a liar but wanted to go into one of those careers?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did my Disney fan show this chapter? 
> 
> Yes, but there were hints of plot yet to be revealed. Sakura is just a kid who hasn’t even entered the academy yet so she can’t be aware of everything going on at first. At first being key words because the more chapters the more cracks, the divergences from an universe where soulmates existence, you will see. And, oh boy, will there be some. 
> 
> So in canon as a kid Sakura wanted to impress Sasuke. In this universe Sakura wants to impress her soulmate and this is something that will become character development for her because she needs to decide who does SHE want to be (both in career and as a person) not just who her soulmate would be impressed by.
> 
> Also, this chapter was finished out of spite. (Originally I wanted to do an oneshot about Sakura and Kakashi as Sukea but I ended up finishing this chapter.) What angered me more then god telling me to kill myself when it was mentioned in another Naruto fic of mine that my birthday was coming up, was the anon telling me that when there was no romantic relationship tagged! It was tagged as Kakashi & Sakura originally, the only romantic relationship was Sakura's neighbor, Asuna, eventually having a relationship with the woman she's mentioned to kick out after one night stand in the first chapter. That - them telling me to kill myself because I wrote a self insert crack ship - when it originally only was platonic Kakashi & Sakura pissed me off (and two of my friends when I told them about it).


	7. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That night, Sakura originally dreamt she was animal. She wasn’t with the rest of the animals that were kept safe in the farmer’s house because she wasn’t a pig like them. The boy from her soulmate’s dreams was animal too but he wasn’t a farm animal. No, he was wolf that had worn the skin of sheep so no one would see how dangerous he was.

Before Sakura had the chance to knock on the door her dad had yanked it open and was about to step out of it. Brown eyes fell on her and the ugly expression that dad was wearing was replaced with a small smile. 

“Sakura!” Dad greeted as he looked her over, concern growing in his eyes as he did. “What happened to you?” 

Sakura managed a smile - an actually, though admittedly small, smile not a the smile - despite how much she ached from being partnered with Sai. “Tai-“ Sakura paused, her eyebrows drew together as she made sure to pronounce the word right. 

“Taijutsu,” she repeated, this time getting the word to sound like how her teacher had said it, “was the last class for the day.” 

“Should I be worried for the other guy?” Dad joked, but despite the humor in his tone concern was lingering in his brown eyes. It was nice to see it there though Sakura wouldn’t tell him that. Dad hadn’t visited for a while even when mom had left for her business trip. It had been just Haru, not dad, who had taken care of her the last few days while mom had been gone. 

Sakura shook her head, her pink hair moving with her head since it wasn’t up in like mom had told her to do this morning. “Sai was better then me,” she admitted, defeat coloring her tone. 

“Well, he’s a boy so don’t feel bad about it.” Dad told her but Sakura’s little smile didn’t grow at his words. He was trying to make her happy, Sakura knew, but he was being stupid about it. Talking about stupid...

“Oh!” She whipped around to look at Umino who had told her he was going to leave once he saw her step inside. “You don’t have to wait until I go back in! This is my dad!” Sakura yelled at Umino who Sakura was sure had others things to do; adults were often busy in her few years of knowledgeable experience. 

Her dad didn’t get onto her for yelling. (Sakura got to yell and not be told off for it since she was still outside.) No, instead he waved at Umino. “Iruka,” he greeted. “How did Sakura do in class?” 

There was a look then on Umino’s face. Sakura didn’t know the word for it though she tried to think of one that could describe it as Umino gave his the smile. The smile was just a little too tight but it was his eyes that ruined the lie. “Sakura doesn’t go to the academy yet. She and the other recruited children are going to preparatory school.” 

Dad blinked as he scratched his chin. There was brown hair starting to grow on it and some of the rest of his face. “I would have thought she would go to the academy. That’s what happened to Akira...or least that’s what she told me had happened.” 

Umino’s the smile grew tighter but Sakura didn’t try to figure out why. Mom had gone to the academy?! 

“Akira did and she excelled at it,” Umino informed dad. “Apparently the Council thought to try a different take this time around.” Umino’s smile twisted and his eyebrows drew together as if he was thinking really hard. Despite trying to figure out something he still continued talking to dad. “But you should have known about the preparatory school anyway because of the notifications that were sent out to the families of children who were recruited.” 

Dad’s face tightened at the words that had been directed to him. Dad didn’t smile nor did he give a the smile. 

“I know you think of yourself as a friend of Akira since you grew up together but you’re not so please stay out of our business.” Dad, Sakura knew, wasn’t asking even though he said please in his sentence. 

Umino shook his head, his dark eyes were...sad wasn’t the word but the emotion in them was like sad. “I-It’s not that-“ he stopped his sentence abruptly. Sakura didn’t know how much time had passed since there was no clock outside before Umino spoke again. “Watch out for her,” was the only warning Umino gave before leaving. He left without even saying who was her which was rude. Was for mom or for Sakura? You have to specify before using he or she otherwise you’re going to leave people confused. Sakura would have thought Umino knew this since he was a teacher but to be fair he was a teacher about being a ninja not a teacher of language. Still though, Sakura conceded, he was an adult so he should know that even if language wasn’t what he taught. 

“Are you staying for dinner?” Sakura asked her dad, hope heavy in her voice, as the back of Umino began to grow further and further away.

Dad shook his head. “I have to go home, Sakura.” 

To my other family was left unsaid but still Sakura heard it. Actually, would mom and her be his other family (even though they were his first) since they weren’t the ones he stayed with? 

“I love you though,” her dad told her and she didn’t know if he was lying because he had no smile on. There was no true nor the smile on his face and a part of Sakura was thankfully for there being none of either on him. 

Some feeling had crawled into her throat and didn’t feel like getting out of it anytime soon so Sakura couldn’t say anything. So she just nodded in response and she didn’t put on her the smile as she watched her father walk away from the house - from her; after all earlier she had made a promise to herself to be not like her parents: to not be a liar. Lying ruined relationships and Sakura wanted to keep her future relationships hers. 

After watching her dad go further and further away Sakura slipped inside. The air smelled of cooking but Sakura didn’t immediately go into the kitchen for food even though her hunger felt like it was going to overflow. No, Sakura hadn’t forgotten her manners so she watched her hands before joining her mom in the kitchen. When mom heard her come into the kitchen, she turned her head to give Sakura a smile but it fell as she noticed the the bruises that had blossomed on Sakura’s arms. Thankfully, most of the bruises where hidden by the cheongsam mom had told her to wear this morning. 

The water was left running in the sink as mom turned around her entire body (not just her head like before) so she could walk over to Sakura. Mom’s dark eyes scanned the bruises some more now that she closer and her lips thinned at what she saw. 

“What happened?” There was no shock in mom’s voice as she asked the question. There was only grimness in her mom’s tone. 

“Taijutsu,” Sakura was slow to pronounce the word because it was new and she wanted to say it right, “was the last class of today. Sai was better then me.” 

“Sakura, there’s someone being better and then there’s brutality. If you’re partnered up with Sai again and he’s like that tell the teacher. Honestly, your teacher-“ mom cut herself off. Her expression was empty but Sakura knew her mom was thinking and mom was thinking fast because she was smart. Mom was the smartest person Sakura knew. Not even Haru who was years upon years older then mom was as smart as mom. 

The smile graced her mom’s lips after a minute or two of silence and Sakura didn’t want it there. She never liked it when mom got that smile on her face. It was always worse when mom wore it. Maybe Sakura thought it worse when mom wore it because mom was so good at lying or it was because whenever mom smiled like that the reasons tended to worse then the ones other people had even if Sakura didn’t know the actually reasons. It was just this feeling in her that suspected it was worse. There was a word for the feeling but Sakura couldn’t recall it at this moment. 

“After dinner you’ll have to ice the bruises. That will help them,” mom promised before walking away. She apparently wasn’t to finish the sentence she had just stopped on earlier. “You did wash your hands before coming in here?” 

Sakura took the bowl of food mom handed to her before answering. “I did.” 

If dad was here he would then ask in a joking manner, ‘With soap?’ But dad wasn’t here so there was no joke nor any no questioning that she had washed her hands with soap.

Mom took a seat at the table after Sakura did. The meal was quiet until mom noticed how fast Sakura was eating. 

“Slow down,” Sakura was told by her mother in a sharp voice. 

Sakura ducked her head, her face became red. Good girls didn’t eat like pigs but Sakura was hungry; there had been no lunch breaks at school (The teacher there had to be really new but then again shouldn’t she had known from when she was a kid and had lunch breaks?) and Sakura hadn’t had breakfast this morning because she overslept. Still, Sakura muttered out an apology and ate the meal slower. 

It took a few minutes for Sakura to gather up the courage to ask what she had learnt earlier. “Mom did you really use to go to the academy?” 

Her mom didn’t look up from the bowl of soup to look Sakura in the eye even though she had told Sakura many a time that you were suppose to look at people when you had a conversation with them. (That and walking off while someone was speaking to you was rude.)

“I did,” was the short answer mom gave before she took a bite of the soup she was still staring at. 

“Did you graduate?” The last word was hard to say but Sakura pressed through because if mom had then maybe she could go back to being a ninja and then she wouldn’t have to go on those business trips. 

“I did. Where’s this going, Sakura?” Mom’s tone was light but Sakura knew better then to fall for it. She was seven (and she was on the road to becoming a ninja) not stupid. 

“If you were a ninja you could go back to being one and then you wouldn’t have to...” Sakura trailed off at the look her mom’s face. (Even if mom wasn’t looking at her while they talked that didn’t mean Sakura wouldn’t look at her.) 

“My businesses trips are for the village.” I am still a ninja, was unsaid but Sakura could still hear the words. ‘But you don’t wear a uniform like the others do’ was the first thing to pop in a Sakura’s mind but she didn’t voice that because a question came to her mind. 

“How can I be a civilian kid if one of my parent is a ninja?” Sakura asked, her pink eyebrows were brought tight against one and another from the confusion she felt. Her food amazingly enough was forgotten in favor of confusion that beared down on her. 

It was about a minute until mom answered and when she did it wasn’t a real answer. “Did you know Haru use to be an author?” 

Sakura’s eyebrows grew closer. How was she a writer when she- Oh, Sakura thought, mom had seen use to. 

“She wrote her last book after her brother’s death during the third war. It was about farm animals.” Mom informed her. 

“Was it a book for kids?” Sakura asked because she didn’t see any adult liking a book about farm animals unless they were farmers but even then Sakura was sure even farmers would want a break from the subject of their job. 

Her mom was finally looking at Sakura and there was something in her dark eyes. What the emotion was Sakura wasn’t sure. “Yes and no. It was something both  
children and an adults could learn something from, Sakura.” 

“...Adults can learn something from farm animals?” 

A smile quirked itself on her mom’s lips and it wasn’t the smile. “The book’s characters were farm animals - the title was actually Animal Farm - but what it was about, what the animals stood for was, yes, something adults could learn from. There’s a quote you can learn from now. It was my favorite actually. ‘All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.’”

If Sakura had a mirror in front of her she was pretty sure her eyebrows would look like there was only one long eyebrow from how close her eyebrows were together because of how confused she had been. That confusion was only growing the more the conversation with mom continued. 

Her mom continued, “All ninja are equal, but some ninja are more equal than others. That’s something you might have to come to learn, Sakura.” 

That was the end of the conversation. The rest of dinner was ate in silence. Silence even kept them company during chores (wiping off the table and washing the dishes). It wasn’t till Sakura had hugged her mom goodnight and was about to leave the kitchen to go to bed that she asked, “Mom do you own Animal Farm?”

“The Council had the book burned,” was the only answer mom gave.

Council. There was that word again. Sakura knew what the word meant - she knew what a lot of words meant, Sakura was quick learner and she often read from her choice - but she didn’t know who this council was. She would have to ask Haru about the council - she would know since they burned her books and possibly had taken one of her hands - next time mom left for a village and she babysat Sakura. 

That night, Sakura dreamt she was animal. She wasn’t with the rest of the animals that were kept safe in the farmer’s house because she wasn’t a pig like them. The boy from her soulmate’s dreams was animal too but he wasn’t a farm animal. No, he was wolf that had worn the skin of sheep so no one would see how dangerous he was. 

Thankfully, Sakura woke up before his teeth gnawed any further into her tall skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1.) In her dream Sakura is a horse. In Animal Farm, Clover is a female horse that does sense that something is off with the pigs but cannot fully comprehend what is wrong and therefor cannot take action against the wrong doings. 
> 
> 2.) Heads up: the last two tags I added will be coming into play in the next few chapters. (I’ll put a warning on top of the chapter when it happens.) The aftermath of the Uchiha massacre has drastically changed because how soulmates share dreams. Kudos goes to the person who figures it out first. 
> 
> 3.) Sakura in case you haven’t noticed is nonchalant (Fun fact for my fellow Young Justice fans: I originally had the previous words typed out as isn’t chalant) about violence because as soon as she was capable to discern and remember her dreams she has been a witness to violence. We haven’t truly seen effects that this has caused but it will be explored later and is important to future plot. 
> 
> 4.) “No, he was wolf that had worn the skin of sheep so no one would see how dangerous he was.” 
> 
> Yes, I wrote that sentence purposely. Obito as Tobi was very much a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

**Author's Note:**

> I dedicate this to god. (Because I'm a petty person who holds a grudge and keeps her promises.)


End file.
